The Willows (book three)

Chapter 12

songs for this chapter:

Medicine~Daughter

Falling For You~The 1975

Chapter 12-Ocean’s POV:

I drive into town with the radio on in an attempt to calm myself. I park the car in front of a store so I can walk around instead. The fresh air always calms me, a slight cold breeze blows against my face, but it's calming. 

The way Gemma reacted today, it's hard to explain but she seemed so much different than usual; awkward almost. It made me think maybe Liam was right and I wasn't just kidding myself. Maybe Gemma and Anne are lying to me. I never thought two people who I trust so greatly would do this to me. I feel betrayed, I feel like a complete fool. Drowning in everything I never wanted, trust mostly. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself though, I can't jump to conclusions this quickly. 

As I walked passed a vehicle in a line of the rest , I stop abruptly to take a closer look. The vehicle is a black dodge truck. I instantly knew who’s it was from the moment of glance; Edward.

I look across from where it was parked and saw the entrance to the local gym. I take a deep breath, knowing I'm not supposed to do this, but I walk inside anyway. A muscular man stands at the front desk wearing a shirt with the gym’s logo on it. 

“Hi," I say shyly, "I need to see a friend here do you mind if I just go look for him?” The man gave me a friendly smile, “Go right ahead.”

“Thank you.”

I walk passed the desk and through a glass door. The smell of sweat and rubber filled my nostrils but I block it out as I walk down the hall to the end where another glass door was with thick black letters that read GYM AREA.

I open the door to welcome the sounds that remain inside, people operated many machines most of them in tank tops and gym shorts. I was glad I wasn’t the only girl here, making me feel like I  didn't stand out. The room was brightly lit by the many windows and the area's workout equipment scattered around. A smaller second floor to the massive room hovered above the first, with many people up there as well. A girl walked by holding a water bottle and towel on her shoulder, I tap her on the shoulder before she leaves.

“Do you know where I can find a guy named Edward?”

“Sorry I don’t know.” She says.

I sigh, pulling on a smile, “Thanks anyway.” She smiles back and keeps on walking like this never happened,

“He’s at the boxing ring.” I look over to the voice that spoke, spotting Liam standing by some other guys I haven’t seen before. He looks at me for a second, I just stare back, unsure of how to see him now that he might have put a dent in the one piece of trust I had left. I turn away and walk passed him, starting to look for the boxing ring. 

I turn a corner to find Edward and younger someone else standing in a large boxing ring. Edward was dressed in baggy black gym shorts and a white tank top. He had black strike pads on and was bare foot, the younger boy hit the pads aggressively. I stroll over with my arms crossed over my chest to the side of the ring unnoticed and sat down on the top of a small table. The boy Edward was training with spots me suddenly and starts to stare with a slight smile on his face. The boy was about fourteen or fifteen with dirty blonde hair and was clad in almost the same outfit as Edward. I smile at the boy and he smiles back. Edward abruptly hits the boy on the side of the head and I stifle a laugh.

“Danny, don’t look away unless you want me to hit you again.” He threatens with a slight humour in his tone, “But what if I wanna look at her.”